Queen Mary is committed to creating an environment for work and study where staff and students are treated with dignity and respect. We have no place for bullying, harassment and hate. We want to ensure that our community, at each of our campuses, is free from all forms of prejudice, discrimination, harassment and bullying.
We recognise that these behaviours can take many forms. They may be carried out face-to-face or through electronic media (cyber bullying); they may be subtle or overt abuses of power. We will not tolerate:
We recognise that these behaviours can take many forms. They may be carried out face-to-face or through electronic media (cyber bullying); they may be subtle or overt abuses of power. We will not tolerate:
- Bullying - intimidation on a regular and persistent basis or as a one off, which serves to undermine the competence, effectiveness, confidence and integrity of the person on the receiving end;
- Cyber Bullying - bullying through electronic media, usually via social networking sites, personal web pages, emails, twitter, text messages, and all other social media whether private, personal or public;
- Discrimination – when an individual or a group of people are treated less favourably based on a characteristic such as age, disability, gender reassignment, marital or civil partner status, pregnancy or maternity, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation;
- Harassment - unwanted conduct related to a relevant protected characteristic that has the purpose or effect of creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment or violating someone’s dignity;
- Hate crime - crimes committed against someone because of their disability, gender-identity, race, religion or belief, or sexual orientation. Hate crimes can include: threatening behaviour, assault, robbery, damage to property, inciting others to commit hate crimes, harassment;
- Racism – the belief that someone is inferior because their colour, ethnicity, nationality or race, leading to discrimination;
- Sexual harassment - unwanted and/or persistent behaviour of a sexual nature (which can be verbal) which you may find offensive or which makes you feel intimidated and/or humiliated. You do not need to have previously objected to something for it to be unwanted; Victimisation - treating people less favourably because of action they have taken (or are suspected to have taken) under or in connection with legislation on bullying, harassment or discrimination – for example, if someone made a formal complaint of discrimination or gave evidence in a tribunal case. Victimisation will be treated as a form of harassment.
Any allegation of harassment, hate crime, bullying or victimisation will be treated seriously, regardless of the seniority of those involved, and anyone found to have behaved unacceptably may be the subject of disciplinary action subject to the processes detailed in the relevant Queen Mary policies.
If you have experienced or witnessed any form of bullying, harassment, violence or hate crime, you can report anonymously or give contact details to help the University take further action, and access details specialist local and national organisations and support at Queen Mary.
All members of Queen Mary have a collective responsibility to encourage a culture of dignity and respect; to treat others fairly, with courtesy and consideration and to always challenge inappropriate behaviour when it is safe to do so. Tutors, supervisors and managers have a particular responsibility to lead by example, identifying inappropriate cultures and behaviours when these occur and taking prompt action to stop or prevent them.